The purpose is to establish a Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research for Underserved Populations within the formal structures of the School of Nursing at The University of Texas at Austin. Activities and studies supported by the Center will emphasize the development of health promotion/disease prevention interventions that are community-based. culturally competent and age- and gender-specific to promote the health of underserved groups. The Center will include a core administrative structure, a pilot grant mechanisms, and three research cores: Theory and Methods Core, Research Development and Dissemination Core, and Underserved and Diverse Populations Core. Major components of the Center will be the establishment of analytic methods using advanced, innovative statistics; exploration of innovative ways of disseminating research findings; development of linkages with representatives of target underserved groups; and establishment of consultative relationships with international experts. Pilot studies supported by the Center Small Grant Mechanism will be conducted with the common specific aim of acquiring the data to justify extramural grant applications to test innovative health promotion/disease prevention interventions for underserved groups. The intent of the research will be to reduce disparities in the health status of racial and ethnic minority populations; of women and children, in particular those from impoverished backgrounds; and of people with chronic and disabling conditions The proposed Center will provide needed resources and support services to continued recent momentum in research productivity of nursing faculty; to enable current investigators to add depth and breadth to their work; to develop new faculty investigators; to foster increased collaboration among School of Nursing faculty and faculty from other University departments; and to expand the number of nursing faculty conducting health promotion/disease prevention intervention projects targeted at underserved populations. A research center at the School will provide a critical resource for an area of the country that has a large, diverse underserved population.